We are surveying some land in a family that has an engineer as one of the owners.
He wants to write an access easement to the parcel along a road he designed.
He wants to write the easement along the cut/fill line of his road designed from county LIDAR-2003 version.
There must be 1000 points along this mile long road as it widens and compresses to the traveled roadway.
We suggest that he pick out the centerline and give a 40-60' wide easement.
This is a ranch road, dirt, 24' wide, with spirals, which he wants to put in the easement.
Trying to explain that the 1000 line description or the spirals are unnecessary is falling on deaf ears.
And this road isn't built yet.
Customer is always right...even when they are wrong.?ÿ I like to give two prices for things like this.?ÿ $1500 for the overdone version or $500 for the simplified but still in the same basic place.?ÿ
Tell him I can do the 1000 point road, but I am going to charge you $50.00 a corner I have to set.
Tell him to write his own damned easement...I'm 110% sure he'll screw it up somewhere.
Sometimes Engineers know best, tell him you will survey the as-built road and provide a legal with exhibit.
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Had one Engineer tell me all he needed was a bench mark and azimuth stake and he would do all the surveying, ya right!?ÿ
Spirals on a dirt road, that's funniest danged thing I've read in a while LOL.
This is a ranch road, dirt, 24' wide, with spirals, which he wants to put in the easement.
Trying to explain that the 1000 line description or the spirals are unnecessary is falling on deaf ears.
And this road isn't built yet.
I will do it for him. Have him call me. I will send him my rate sheet, I will do it for T&M. Also, I will need a $10,000 retainer.
(This is sarcasm I am likely not licensed in the necessary state...but it wouldn't be sarcasm if it was in WA.)
Is he a railroad engineer??ÿ
Well, they did take a class one time in surveying, so they know how to do my work. I think every single engineer comes out of their house and tells me that.
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He wants to write the easement along the cut/fill line of his road designed from county LIDAR-2003 version.
...
And this road isn't built yet.
Ignoring other aspects of this scenario, would that provide enough room for ditches, culverts, slope and bank maintenance, and other things?
It is beyond ridiculous but bump your entire fee schedule up and charge more hours and just do it.
Get ya some money up front, a lot of money and get a signed contract.
And I would go so far as to place in the contract a small statement that it is your professional opinion that the method he has chosen is unnecessary and ridiculous and have him acknowledge it simply as a CYA for that inevitable case of selective memory.
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Of course super-elevated curves require spirals, you silly surveyor!?ÿ?ÿ ???? ????
One former boss was fond of saying "We aren't here to solve the world's problems".?ÿ It's a free country and there is only so much you can do to save property owners from themselves.?ÿ But you may wish to evaluate your workload and how much you want to continue with this project.?ÿ
Just last night I was re-watching an old episode of Perry Mason in which Perry says to his client "You are not following my advise. I can only conclude that you do not wish for me to continue as your attorney." The client agreed at the time, but later came crawling back when the stuff hit the fan.?ÿ
